The Lion and The Swan
by lil miss bella cullen
Summary: Everyone has secrets. Some are more willing to share than others. Bella isn't one of them, Until she meets a man, who knows about her biggest secret, her place of peace, her world, where she feels safe. Together, can they make it through the real world?


**The Lion and the Swan**

**Chapter one- S****ecret Sanctuary**

**Hi there! It's that time again! All my other stories are on hiatus until I get more inspiration. You should check them out though, see if you can help me. . . anyway,, this is my newest one, just started it yesterday and here it is :D hope you like it, remember to push the button at the bottom xx OK here goes nothin!**

Waves lapped at pebbles on the shore. The sun shone through the wispy clouds and turned the beads of water covering my skin to diamonds. I sat on the sand letting the sound of the water calm me and help me forget everything that was happening in the real world. This place was my haven, my secret sanctuary that I came to when I needed a break from reality. The glistening water moved serenely, the birds' choir performing in the distance, their song full of harmonies so beautiful and so delicate, a whisper would break it. I took in the sounds of nature and dreamt of a world I could live in, one with no hassle, no stress and no unnerving noises, just serenity and melodies of love and life echoing throughout the day.

I was almost asleep when a cloud covered the sun, causing me to shiver and reach for my jumper, but instead of material, I felt a shoe, and a leg and OH! I sat up, wrenching my eyes open and gasped: there was someone else here! Scrambling to my feet, grabbed my guitar case and jumper muttering a "sorry" and turned to leave when the stranger caught my arm. I jumped and ripped it back, glaring at the sun-blocker. Then I saw his face. Oh dear Lord his face! I hadn't profiled him at first, so as I took him in, he watched me carefully. He was tall, muscular but not large; he had piercing green eyes and a lovely mouth. His hair, an unruly mess, was bronze colour and he wore shorts and a grey t-shirt. I smiled apologetically and turned to go again, but he spoke.

"Sorry, I apologise for scaring you, I thought you were someone else, but I was mistaken. Not many people know of this place as far as I know, can I ask how you came across it?"

I watched the sun-blocker cautiously. He didn't look dangerous, but then they don't always . . . I shook that thought from my mind and smiled.

"I noticed that it wasn't a well known spot, which is why I come here so often; to avoid people. I stumbled across it one time when I was hiding, I mean out with a friend. He never saw it but I was curious and came to explore. It was so peaceful I decided to be selfish and keep it to myself." I blushed and the sun-god, I mean sun-blocker laughed.

"Yes," he agreed, "you were right to keep it to yourself, I haven't told many, or shown anyone my personal paradise, but now I can see I will have to share." Having said this he laughed again and stuck out a hand. "I'm Edward," I took his hand and replied "Bella." He nodded and asked "short for Isabella?" to which I nodded. He smiled, a panty-dropping crooked smile, and checked his watch. "I only have a couple of hours before I have to return to the real world. I apologise again for disturbing you, but don't feel you have to leave on my account. I would be happy for some company, if you wish to stay?" I eyed him curiously and pondered. Reluctantly I nodded and sat back on the grass. He sat close by, but left a little distance between us. We sat in a comfortable silence for some time before he broke it.

"Bella, what do you do for a living?"

"I write, I tutor and I live. What about you Edward?" I wasn't ready to tell him I also hid; he didn't need to know that.

"I'm finishing med school this year but I tutor music in my free time too. What do you tutor?"

"English and music a little, but not as much as I used to." I clamped my mouth shut; I was telling him far too much about myself. I barely knew the guy, but I just couldn't seem to resist those inquisitive green eyes…

Edward just nodded and we returned to our silences. My phone broke it next, Alice was calling me.

"Bella babe, where are you? You better be on your way over to mine, we have plans tonight! Haha, and bring some wine, I got everything else."

"Hello to you too Al, and I'm just leaving, gimmee five minutes ok? Bye, bye."

"You have to leave?" Edward asked, looking slightly disappointed.

"Yes, sorry, Alice is a nightmare when you don't do what she says. If I don't buy some wine for our night tonight, I may not live to tell the tale "The Wrath of Alice". Her husband is away for the weekend, business, so I said I would keep her company. Look that's her texting now- "4 minutes left Swan, or you're a stuffed bird"". I laughed at her play on words, and shaking my head I stood up. Gathering my belongings in one hand shook Edward's with the other and hurried along the grassy path to my truck. Flinging my stuff in the other seat I stomped on the pedal and turned in the direction of Alice's place and thought of those stunning green eyes.

EPOV

I watched her hurry along the little path and around the bend. Sighing I settled down and watched the clouds float by, wisps of white gliding through the blue sky. As I watched, I thought of Bella, congratulating myself for approaching her. I had watched her countless times, enjoying the little paradise, but I hadn't the guts to go and introduce myself. Until today. It was something Emmett had said to me last night that got to me.

"Eddie, bro, you need to man up and talk to a girl. You're such a coward that you won't even come out anymore! You still haven't met Jasper and the only time he's around, we go clubbing! Come on man, go talk to a lady and show me you ain't a wuss!"

Annoying as he was, I knew he was right. I was overreacting, but it was all Tanya's fault. And Jessica's. And Lauren's. And all the other girls who had attacked me that night. I shuddered in remembrance. So I decided that the only girl I wanted to talk to would be the brown haired beauty, the only other person who knew about my little piece of heaven on earth. I wanted to know all about her, her name, her thoughts, her heart's songs, where she was from, where she ran off to every time her phone beeped, everything. She was fascinating, and I was mesmerised when I finally plucked up the courage to talk to her. And I was definitely not disappointed. Before I spoke to her, I could tell she was upset; her shoulders were tense as ran into the water and was completely submerged by the waves. I had watched her so often that I saw a pattern in her appearances. When she wore skirts or shorts she came here angry or upset, but when she wore sweats, she was calm and collected. I wondered what significance it had, but it was too personal a question to ask…yet. I wanted to get to know her, but I didn't know how. She always came alone, but was always dragged away by the messages or calls on her phone. I was determined to talk to her and I knew that today was the day. I decided to pretend I thought she was someone else, though how anyone could mistake her for a normal woman I wouldn't know. I waited til she was settled, then I ventured toward her, chanting mantras to myself. When I blocked the path of her sun, she opened her eyes and glared at me. It took everything in me not to gasp: she was beautiful, absolutely stunning, more so than I had thought. I must have sounded like a blabbering idiot when I opened my mouth but she didn't seem to notice. Talking to her was a little awkward, but I was being so forward that I expected as much. Soon enough, we were sitting together, enjoying the company and the silence, but it wasn't enough for me. I wanted to know more, so I started probing for answers. She was hesitant at first, but absent-mindedly stroking her guitar; she spoke more freely and thought about her answers before speaking them aloud. She was interesting, and I wanted to carry on talking, I could have done for hours, but the bloody phone interrupted us. She spoke quietly, but I heard a female's voice on the other end of the line. She seemed a bouncy one, not someone I would have placed this woman with, but then I didn't know her. I had to keep reminding myself that, and of the fact she didn't know I had been watching her. She smiled apologetically and blushed slightly as she excused herself and gathered her things. I held out my hand for her to shake it again and I felt a little surge of electricity, but I don't think she noticed. With a hurried goodbye she left me sitting thinking about what we had spoken about. Then I remembered the text she read aloud before leaving "4 minutes Swan or you're a stuffed bird". So I was guessing her surname was Swan. Bella Swan. It suited her, elegant, shy, quite mysterious, I liked it. My watch was telling me I had spent too much time away from the real world, so I trudged back to my car and set off to my house. Bella Swan was on my mind for the rest of the evening, and the rest of the week, because she didn't turn up again. Or the next week, or the next one. The mysterious Swan had vanished.

**AN**

**Hey guys! What d'ya think? Good bad, atrocious? Its gunna be quite different to anything else I've written I think, so watch this space! Please review; you guys are the ones that give me inspiration! You are the jelly to my peanut butter ;) please tell me what you think! And the next chapter will be up real soon!**

**L.O.V.E**

**lil miss bella cullen 3**


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